JR Motorsports

JR Motorsports news, rumors and injuries

JR Motorsports driver Chase Elliott picked up his third Nationwide Series win of the season Saturday, July 19, at Chicagoland Speedway. He led a race-high 85 laps. The rookie is on top of the standings after the win.

JR Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250 at Michigan International Speedway Saturday, June 14. It was Earnhardt's third Top 5 finish in four Nationwide starts this season.

Fantasy Tip: Earnhardt was getting a lay of the land for Sunday's Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans 400. He has won twice in 29 career Sprint Cup Series starts in the Irish hills, posting Top 20 finishes 18 times. He is considered one of the favorites Sunday, and is a great fantasy choice.

JR Motorsports car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday, May 17, that there is no rush to promote driver Chase Elliott to the Sprint Cup Series, and he insists there is a two-year plan and he is sticking to it. "We have like a two-year plan, I suppose, that he runs in the Nationwide Series, and I think you just stick with the plan regardless of the success he is having," Earnhardt said. "You have the commitments in line with sponsors and what have you, so I think it will suit him well to relax and not have to worry about that and just follow the plan that he has had in front of him from the start."

JR Motorsports driver Kevin Harvick will run in at least 12 Nationwide Series races next season in the No. 5 Chevrolet. Hunt Brothers Pizza will sponsor Harvick at Bristol, Charlotte and both races in Texas. He currently ranks third on the series' career wins list with 40.

JR Motorsports announced Friday, Feb. 1, that Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson will compete in the March 2 Nationwide Series race at Phoenix, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet. It will be Johnson's first time in the Nationwide Series since he drove at Watkins Glen in 2011.

JR Motorsports announced Thursday, Jan. 3, that drivers Kasey Kahne and Brad Sweet will split duties in a second full-time Nationwide Series car in 2013. Great Clips will sponsor the ride for 28 races, including 27 among Kahne and Sweet and one for driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Driver Regan Smith will move to the No. 7 car and Earnhardt will drive the No. 88 car in a select number of events.

JR Motorsports announced Thursday, Oct. 25, that driver Regan Smith will have a full-time Nationwide Series ride next year in the No. 5 car. He will make his debut Nov. 17 in the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Smith will also race for Phoenix Racing in the Sprint Cup Series in the final two races.

JR Motorsports announced Tuesday, Sept. 18, that crew chief Tony Eury Jr., the crew chief for driver Danica Patrick in the Nationwide Series, is being replaced. Crew chief Ryan Pemberton will move to the No. 7 GoDaddy.com team. Patrick is 11th in points in the series after her 12th place finish at Chicagoland Speedway last weekend.

JR Motorsports driver Danica Patrick is scheduled to run in 12 Nationwide Series races this year, according to ESPN.com. She will also compete full time in the IndyCar Series. Patrick will compete in the first four Nationwide races at Daytona (Feb. 19), Phoenix (Feb. 26), Las Vegas (March 5) and Bristol (March 19).

JR Motorsports driver Danica Patrick has committed to the first four NASCAR Nationwide Series races next season, according to The Associated Press. The rest of her 2011 scheduled is undetermined, but the team hopes to have her in up to 14 races. Patrick is committed to racing at Daytona, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Bristol.

JR Motorsports announced Thursday, July 15, that they will not be making the move to the Sprint Cup Series for the 2011 season, according to SceneDaily.com's Bob Pockrass. "No Cup plans," team co-owner Kelley Earnhardt said. "No Kasey Kahne. No Mark Martin. Nothing for JR Motorsports. At this point, we would need to get started on that, and it's definitely not in our future for 2011."